1. Not finding help here? Sign up for a free 30min tutor trial with Chegg Tutors
    Dismiss Notice
Dismiss Notice
Join Physics Forums Today!
The friendliest, high quality science and math community on the planet! Everyone who loves science is here!

Optics: when are images virtual and when are they real?

  1. Oct 25, 2011 #1

    Joe626

    User Avatar

    sorry, no specific homework question, although it is related to my homework in general. I dont understand what makes an image real or virtual.

    thanks for the help :)

    joe
     
    Joe626, Oct 25, 2011
  2. jcsd
    Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories on Phys.org
  3. Oct 25, 2011 #2

    ehild

    User Avatar
    Homework Helper
    Gold Member

    See this video for a virtual image:

    http://www.khanacademy.org/video/virtual-image?playlist=Physics

    The real images really exist. The virtual image exist in the brain of the observer.

    More seriously: In case of real image, the rays emerging from a point of an object become convergent after passing the imaging system (mirror or lens) and intersect in the same point: at the image of the object.
    In case of virtual image the rays emerging from a point of the object are divergent after leaving the lens or mirror. The divergent rays arrive to the eye and the brain interprets them as coming from a common point - from the image. But this common point does not exist in reality.

    ehild
     
    ehild, Oct 25, 2011
Know someone interested in this topic? Share this thread via Reddit, Google+, Twitter, or Facebook




Similar Discussions: Optics: when are images virtual and when are they real?

  1. Mirror Optics- Measuring Virtual Image (Replies: 1)

  2. Images in a diverging lens are always virtual. when an objectis placed (Replies: 7)

  3. Real and virtual images from mirrors (Replies: 5)

  4. Real Image / Optics (Replies: 4)

  5. Optics: Spherical Interface -- Real and Virtual Images (Replies: 3)

Loading...